Refrigerator Buyers Guide

July 28, 2014Refrigerators have changed a lot over the last decade, and they have become one the most useful and stylish home appliances. They are now more power efficient, they can get cold faster, and stay cold longer than ever before. And this makes it possible for food to stay fresh longer even when there is a power cut.

However, there is a large selection of refrigerators for sale whether they are new or used refrigerators. It can be difficult to decide which one is best for your needs, so this guide will help you understand the different features and will enable you to make an informed decision.

1. The first thing you need to do is decide where you are going to put the fridge. This is because the space you have is going to determine which size refrigerator you can buy. So take a measuring tape and measure the height, width and depth of the area, and remember that you need room to open the fridge door. You will also need several centimeters of extra space on all sides so that air can circulate — this is to prevent the fridge from overheating. When you are in the shop looking, you can tell the salespeople the size you need, and they can narrow your search, which will make it easier for you. Also have a look on 5 Best Family Fridge for the Festivities of Bangladesh.

2. The second thing to consider is which way you want the door of the fridge to open to give the best access. This will depend on where the fridge is placed in your kitchen, but you need to know before you go shopping so that you get a fridge with doors that open the correct way. With some fridges, the way the door opens can be reserved. In which case, you can have the servicemen put the door the way you want before they deliver it.

3. Fridges come in various sizes, shapes and colors. The most common designs of refrigerators are:

One Door — A fridge with one door is usually the smallest type in the market. Although it is good at keeping a good temperature, it generally has a small freezer, and it is difficult to keep food frozen as it shares the same door as the rest of the refrigerator.

Two Door — A fridge with two doors means that the freezer has its own door, and so it can maintain its temperature and keep the food frozen. The freezer can be on the top or bottom of the fridge. If you do not plan on using a freezer every day, then it would be better to opt for a fridge with the freezer on the bottom as then you can easily reach the rest of the fridge without bending over. However, if you plan to use the freezer every day, then it would be more convenient to have it on the top.

Side-by-Side — This means the fridge has two doors that open from the center of the fridge. One side will be the freezer and the other side is the regular part of the fridge. It can be very convenient as the doors are half the size and so they don’t need as much space to open. Both compartments are easy to access.

4. A full fridge is a happy fridge. This is because when all the space is taken up, the temperature does not fluctuate as much, and so the fridge does not have to work as hard to maintain the temperature. This also lowers your electricity consumption.

5. Even if you are planning on buying a used refrigerator, you still need to follow the above steps. However, there is one important thing you need to know before you buy a used refrigerator: a fridge that is more than 10 years old will use more electricity and not be very efficient in keeping your food cold. This is because technology and has advanced a lot, and fridges manufactured now use one third less electricity and have better insulation techniques.

Checklist for buying a used refrigerator:

Make sure it works properly. If you cannot test it at the store, then do it as soon as you get home, and before you begin using it. Turn it on and leave it on with the doors closed for about two hours to see if it gets cold enough. If it is just barely cool, it means it is not working properly, and you should take it back.

Make sure the door gasket closes tightly. Place a piece of paper between the door and fridge. If you can open the door easily, it may not be closing securely enough. Ask if the gaskets can be changed, and also have the door hinges checked as they may need adjusting.

Open the fridge and see if all the parts are there. Things such as shelves, drawers and racks should still be there and in good condition. Make sure the light and the temperature knob still works.

6. Keep your refrigerator clean. This is important so that all the food in the fridge stays healthy but also to help it remain in good condition and run properly. Some basic tips to clean your fridge are:

Don’t use harsh cleaners to clean your fridge. All-purpose liquid soap is enough. Using a little bit of sodium bicarbonate on tough spots will make them white again.

Take out drawers, shelves and racks and wash well.

If the gasket around the door has black mildew, you can dilute a little liquid bleach and wipe the gasket. Two hundred and fifty ml of water needs about 20 ml of bleach. Be careful not to get bleach on any other part of the fridge as it can make the plastic turn yellow.

After some time, you will begin to see food building up on the outside of the fridge, especially on the door handle. Therefore, it is important to clean the outside of your fridge regularly as well.

If you notice a bad smell, clean the fridge with a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and water. One liter of water needs 100 grams of sodium bicarbonate.